Number 93
by HawtPoTaytoTott
Summary: Ariana Flynn is a shy, reserved girl who keeps to herself. But when she truly acquaints herself with Fred Weasley during her fifth year at Hogwarts and begins to fall for him, she learns that no matter what happens, there is always time to laugh.
1. 17 August 1994

**Hey guys! Wow, I feel like I've been dead for like...a lifetime. But fortunately, getting back into Harry Potter (not that I ever fell out of the Harry Potter series) has inspired my creativity and my writing mind. :) Anyway, this is a story that came to me a couple months back and I've been working on it vigorously since then. Let me explain something before you begin reading so you don't get confused. As you can see, this chapter is a journal entry. There will be several chapters like these because it gives you a look into my character's mind and gives you a little more detail. It starts out in my character's fifth year, which is Harry Potter's fourth at Hogwarts. I try to stay as canon as possible, more than ever before, in this story. **

**I hope you can forgive me for being away for so long! And I hope this makes up for it...and I hope that you guys actually enjoy this story. That's all the details I will give you for now!**

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_ 17 August 1994_

_Can you believe it? Mum got us tickets to the Quidditch World Cup! I can't even believe it myself, really. I've heard wonderful things about the World Cup, about how incredibly exciting and thrilling the whole experience is. Dad said that even he might be interested in seeing a wizarding event, after years of grinding him down on my part. I would love if Dad could come see how fun a magical sport can be! We leave tomorrow for Stoatshead Hill…we'll be traveling by Portkey, though I've never done it before. Of course Dad hasn't done it either, I imagine, but he's always open to the new experiences of the wizarding world. I've always believed that Mum was lucky to have found a man like Dad._

_Anyway…back to what I was originally going to write down. I can get so carried away sometimes._

_So here I am once again. After the fun of the World Cup is over, I am to return to Hogwarts. I've gotten most everything packed away and at this point and I'm fairly certain that I've gotten all the necessary items for this year. I can hardly believe that this is my fifth year at Hogwarts…time flies so fast. Perhaps I should try to get to know more of my fellow Gryffindors this year. I'm not sure whether to feel excited or nervous or perhaps both. I don't want my time at Hogwarts to draw to a close so soon; I've only two more years there and the question I keep asking myself is, "What am I going to do after it's all over?"_

_Of course…that depends on the state of the magical world, I suppose. The Dark Lord hasn't made an appearance in many years, but going to school with Harry Potter has made me realize that maybe You-Know-Who isn't so far from regaining his powers. I don't know. I'm not sure what to believe anymore, quite honestly. But I know the Potter boy couldn't possibly be making these things up, given he has the greatest connection with You-Know-Who, probably even more so than the Death Eaters. People are so ignorant, in my opinion. They want to stay in this box of life and they don't want to think outside of it. Anything is possible, even if it's not necessarily the greatest possibility in one's perspective. Wizards and witches alike don't want to believe that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named could ever return to power and overrun the wizarding world. I don't like to think that he could come back, but I don't want to be one to think that life would be better if I could just forget about the Dark Lord and pretend that everything is alright._

_What is better? Living in ignorance and pretending that life is absolute bliss? Or is it much better to learn about what lies ahead so that you can brace yourself for it?_

_Well, maybe I'm being too dark and depressing at the moment. I'm going to the Quidditch World Cup! It should be an exciting time! All the best teams will be there and I've heard that the stadium seats hundreds of thousands of people. This will be one of the greatest memories I think that I will make this year and I do believe it will be well worth it._

_Ariana_


	2. 18 August 1994

**Yes, this story is coming along SOOO nice! I'm really really really excited about this story, you have no idea. Just a note so you're not wondering: Zeddicus is Ariana's pet chinchilla. Hogwarts never said you couldn't have a chinchilla and Ron had a rat, so I suppose it'll be alright. I couldn't picture Ariana having any other animal.**

**Oh, and before I forget.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter. The story, the characters and the settings are respective property of JK Rowling and all credit goes to her! Ariana Flynn and Zeddicus are my original characters. **

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18 August 1994

_Needless to say, I don't think I will ever get used to Portkey transportation. What an odd sensation it was! I don't think Dad wants to experience something like that again either, though he says that he was absolutely intrigued by it. For a Muggle, Dad is very open to the way we do things._

_Despite the oddity of the Portkey, it was quick and in a snap, we were on the grounds where the Quidditch World Cup will be taking place. We got ourselves settled in our tent. Zeddicus is taking well to the new environment, though I'm positive he'll be happy when this is all over. The Ministry has a spell cast on the area so that Muggles don't see too much, but they've made an exception for Dad, him being married to a well-known witch. Well, Mum is known for her curing abilities at St. Mungo's, anyway. She has a great talent for healing the ill and infirmed. Why do I always go off on different topics like this? Sometimes I think of so many things at once, I don't know what to write first._

_There are so many wizards and witches here on the grounds! The tops of the tents can be seen for miles and the excitement here is so thick, you can almost physically reach out and touch it. From my seat here outside of my tent, I can see the stadium. If I didn't come from a magical background, it would be mind-boggling to try to figure out how they've managed to fit hundreds of thousands of people in one area like this. I think that's one thing I really love about magic; there will always be something that surprises you, no matter how much you think you know._

_This year, it will be Ireland against Bulgaria. This should be an exciting game! I mean, the Irish team is very witty and cunning; that got them here to the World Cup, obviously. On the other hand, the Bulgarians are hardy and durable. They're all brilliant Quidditch players, and all very renowned. I would almost bet that Ireland will win, but then I remember that the Bulgarian team has Viktor Krum and he's a force to be reckoned with. Krum is the Seeker for the Bulgarian team and a good one at that. Compared to Aidan Lynch of the Irish team, Krum is a diligent player and I think he has the best odds of catching the Snitch. I'm surprised I've read so much on Quidditch…_

_I wonder if any of the other students from Hogwarts were able to come to the World Cup. I mean, there are still a few days before it actually begins, but I'm dying to wander around and see if I can find any familiar faces. Well, not that many of my fellow students remember me. I keep telling myself that it would probably be good if I got to know more of the Gryffindors this year. I might be a bit late, but it's worth a shot, I hope._

_Ariana_


	3. Flynny

**Can I just say right now that I love writing Fred and George? Can I just say that? They can be hard to get into character sometimes, but gosh, I love those boys! They are just the best...**

**Obviously now this is in real time so we can actually "see" what's going on outside of Ariana's mind. This will be a constant throughout the story so you can get the full effect of the story. Oh, and full full full credit goes to my friend for coming up with Ariana's nickname. It's adorable and it just fits!**

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Ariana peeked her head out of her tent and breathed in the clean morning air. She could hear the murmurings of the other wizards and witches awakening all around her and she could even hear the sounds of food being cooked—or maybe some of it was being burned. Maybe if she stuck around, she'd be able to tell by the smell. The magical folk sometimes weren't very savvy when it came to performing typical Muggle activities.

The air was chilly and there was a subtle mist that crawled along the cold ground as Ariana stepped out in her lavender pea coat. She pranced a little in one place to get the jitters out of her from the sudden coolness of the morning and she wrapped a dark grey scarf carefully about her neck before setting out. It would probably be a little while longer before either of her parents woke; they had seemed so cozy and warm in their bed, Ariana hadn't dared to wake them. But Ariana was excited and she couldn't bear to lie awake in her bed to wait for someone to accompany her around the grounds. She would have to keep in mind where their tent was set up. One could easily lose themselves in the sea of tents.

Many more attendants of the Quidditch World Cup had arrived either last night or early this morning, Ariana noted. If it were possible, hundreds more tents had been erected and some of them even sported the team colors of Irish green and Bulgarian red. It reminded Ariana of Christmas, almost, and it made her smile just a bit. The fans of these teams were hardly thinking of Christmas when it came to their favorite teams. Ariana wasn't necessarily competitive, but deep down she was hoping Ireland would win. Still, with Viktor Krum as the Seeker, it was guaranteed to be a Quidditch match worth seeing.

It was fascinating for Ariana to see the wizards and witches that had come from all walks of life to just to watch this Quidditch match. They were all different and unique, even just in the way they woke up in the mornings. Some greeted the new day with a smile on their face, already washed, cleaned and combed. Some were sipping tea in fancy armchairs out in the open and some were even cooking their breakfasts outside their tents as well. But some hadn't yet emerged, though Ariana figured they were simply enjoying the morning indoors or they weren't morning people in the slightest. People, particularly the magical ones, were just so intriguing and Ariana couldn't help but study their individual habits.

Ariana passed wizards and witches that were younger and were probably her age, all of them chatting excitedly or laughing just the same. Ariana figured they were Hogwarts students, but she didn't recognize any of them and apparently they didn't recognize her, not that anyone really would. That fact embarrassed her slightly; she didn't mean to come off as anti-social, especially when she actually wasn't. She just had trouble finding friends who didn't find her eccentric or even better, a species all her own.

Ariana's blue eyes wandered beyond to the commotion of everyone finally roaming from their sleeping quarters and she was starting to hear the beginnings of conversations in hushed murmurs or boisterous discussions. Ariana took note that she would have to wake up even earlier if she wanted a peaceful, quiet walk in the morning hours. There were still a couple days before the World Cup began, so there was time to get those walks in, Ariana reasoned.

A glint of reddish gold in the rising sun caught Ariana's eye and her head jerked in that direction. The blood drained from her face when she recognized two identical young men heading directly towards her. No one could mistake that wicked red hair. Once they met her gaze, she knew it was too late to turn and sprint back the other way.

"Hey, it's Flynny!" one of the boys exclaimed. He turned to his twin and jabbed a thumb in Ariana's direction as they closed their distance between each other. "She's in our house, remember, Fred? She's the one who told us to use Flobberworm pus instead of puffer fish eyes for our toffees!"

Ariana shifted a little and bit her lower lip shyly.

"Ah yes, George!" the other twin replied, smiling. "How could I forget? Worked wonders, it did, Flynny! Tried it just the other day on Harry's Muggle cousin. Bloody brilliant, it was!"

"O-Oh…brilliant!" Ariana answered with as much enthusiasm she could muster.

The boys, whom Ariana knew to be Fred and George Weasley from the Gryffindor House at Hogwarts, exchanged knowing glances between each other and then smirked at Ariana.

"She's still a skittish little bird, isn't she, Fred?" George asked, leaning on Fred's shoulder casually.

"Aye, she is," Fred agreed. "C'mon, Flynny, no need to be so shy. Y'know George and me!"

Yes, Ariana did know the Weasley twins, though not well enough to call them her friends. Fred and George were popular boys at Hogwarts, needless to say, due to their whacky pranks and crazy inventions that had a tendency to appear when you least expected it. Ariana had always quietly observed them from afar and was amused by them, but she had never found it in her to approach them or join in the fun.

"Oi, Flynny, we didn't know you'd be here at the World Cup," George commented. "Right fortunate, too, I'd say. Not easy to get into something as big as this."

"Biggest event of the year, I might add," Fred interjected. "Ireland versus Bulgaria. It will be a spectacular battle of Quidditch this time around."

Ariana gave both the twins a fleeting grin and a quick nod. She agreed with them whole-heartedly; after the reading up she had done on both teams, she knew Quidditch fans were in for a real treat. Ariana hadn't ever truly considered herself a Quidditch fan, though Quidditch matches were an incredibly big deal at Hogwarts and offered the students something thrilling to attend on the weekends. Ariana did have to admit, though, that Quidditch was a unique sport that involved great skill and technique on the players' parts. She didn't think she'd ever be brave enough to be a part of such a fast-paced game.

"Have you ever got anything to say?" Fred asked.

"I think she's stunned by our dashing good looks," George teased, elbowing Fred playfully. "Isn't that right, Flynny?"

Ariana could never understand why Fred and George could never call her by her actual name. Then again, she did understand. She was so reserved and quiet, it didn't surprise her that no one had actually taken the time to ask her what her name was. So she supposed it didn't surprise her that the Weasley twins had found some cute little nickname to call her.

"Well, let's let her be, George," Fred suggested as he clapped his brother on the back. "We got to meet with Bagman to make our bet on the winning team…which is going to be Ireland."

"That it is, Fred," George said. "Ol' Bagman is gonna have to fork over double of what we're betting on and we'll be richer than the Malfoys." He saluted Ariana casually. "See you 'round, Flynny."

The Weasley twins turned to walk away.

"Well, why don't you make that bet a little more interesting?"

Fred and George paused mid-step. In perfect unison, they slowly turned their heads to stare curiously at Ariana, who sheepishly tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Did you hear that?" Fred asked George. "I think the bird finally chirped!"

"I heard it, alright," George said. "What was that, Flynny? You have something to say for once?"

Those small jabs were starting to irritate Ariana, but she ignored and fought back that irritation. She stood taller and jutted out her chin confidently. "Yes, I do, actually," she replied.

Fred and George shot each other impressed looks—or maybe they were more sarcastic looks that were meant to look impressed. They gave Ariana their undivided attention and they folded their arms in a serious manner. They looked quite intimidating together, standing in that stance, Ariana decided.

"Well then," George urged, "what's going through that pretty little head of yours?"

Ariana rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Well…I was just thinking…I've been reading up a lot about the Ireland and Bulgaria Quidditch teams," she explained. "I mean, Ireland has fantastic Chasers, as I'm sure you know, and they get the job done. They are the geniuses and acrobats of the broom and the Quaffle. I'm sure their points will skyrocket in absolutely no time." She felt a hint of anticipation and a smile broke out on her face. "But the Bulgarians have Viktor Krum! He's a most excellent Seeker and he catches the Snitch every time! With those statistics, I'd guess that Krum will catch the Snitch, but…Ireland will win the entire game. How's that for a bet?"

Fred and George appeared to be bewildered by Ariana. They seemed to be processing what the girl had just said, for they said nothing and just stared at Ariana like she had become a bizarre creature—at least, a bizarre creature that hadn't been discovered in the wizarding world.

"I can't believe it," George said in awe—or again, he was probably being sarcastic and was subtly poking fun at Ariana. "Fred, Flynny just said more than two words to us."

"Actually, George she said quite a bit more than two words," Fred corrected. "In fact, she gave us a whole story, now didn't she?" He gave Ariana an inquiring look. "What makes you think that Krum will catch the Snitch, but Ireland will take the game?"

"Just…the statistics," Ariana said, her bolder side still shining through. "Think about it. Before you go running off betting on something that is so _obvious _to everyone, think about how much more interesting it would be if you bet on something _no one _will be expecting. You never know…Mr. Bagman might find it interesting as well and he could…I dunno…double the winnings?"

"Statistics, statistics, statistics," George droned. "This is a Quidditch match, not Arithamancy."

"Statistics apply to everything," Ariana replied smartly.

"Not in our world, they don't," the twins said in unison.

Ariana shrugged. "Your call, I suppose," she said. "I figured you two were open for new ideas and outrageous possibilities. If you haven't changed since last year—and it's quite apparent that you haven't—then this should be something you won't back away from." She reverted back to her shy self and she rubbed her arm. "Now…if you'll excuse me…I'm late for breakfast. Good day."

With that, harboring a hot blush that was starting to bloom across her face, Ariana whirled around and headed back for her tent. She didn't even want to think about what was running through the Weasley twins' heads about her right now.


End file.
